How does GMRS compare with CB radio?

[kc0bus]

Hello,
I was considering taking up using either CB radio or GMRS radio for personal use within the family. I have some experience with CB radio from using it in the past. I know that it can be very noisy, and, well, unruly much of the time with lots of interference, static, hash, jammers, people walking on eachother, you name it. CB radio has lots of problems, but it also has certain advantages too. CB radio is pretty much the wild, wild, wild west of the radio services.
I have no experience with using GMRS and was wondering how it compares to CB radio in these respects?
Thank you

 

[jaspence]

CB is AM modulation and prone to interference. Range is limited if you use "legal" equipment. GMRS is FM and can use higher power and a repeater. When scanning, I don't hear a lot of traffic on either.

 

[DaveNF2G]

I would say like apples to oranges. Different bands, different modes, different rules.

 

[PACNWDude]

GMRS requires a license, but can use repeaters for longer range, it is UHF and FM. Short, portable handheld radios with small antennas and lower power output than CB. Companies that make FRS/GMRS radios like to claim 10-20-30-40 mile range, you will not get that. You may get a mile if you are lucky without a repeater.

CB requires no license, AM, and can vary in range due to atmospheric conditions. This could be a few city blocks, or a thousand miles or more. The antennas will be up to 102" long. Power, legal power can be 4 watts out the antenna, (5 watts at the radio connector.)

CB may be more expensive for new equipment, GMRS radios can be bought in pairs in blister packs. Used, both can be found for a fraction of the new price. CB will benefit from good coax and a nice antenna. Think RG-213 versus RG-58 and FireStix antenna versus generic found at a truck stop.

Good luck.

 

[K5MPH]

I know your question was to compare the two CB/GMRS but i rather use MURS radio have used it many time over the years and it has all ways out done CB/GMRS radio at least for me.......

 

[mmckenna]

Big difference.
One of the nice things about GMRS is that it's FM and you can use CTCSS or DCS codes on your radios. Pick one of the available channels and select a random CTCSS or DCS code and you -usually- won't have to listen to any other garbage.

I used CB's for along time, but the excrement that you have to listen to is just awful. On my own with the squelch turned up it was bearable. Getting married and having a child put an end to having a CB turned on anywhere in their presence. The times I did use CB with others was occasionally met with individuals going on profanity riddled tirades for being on "their channel".

I threw out my last CB about 10 years ago and never looked back.

GMRS was a big improvement in audio quality, usability and even range (if you have access to a repeater).
I didn't have to worry about what my wife/son heard on there. I didn't have to be embarrassed if someone else was riding in the truck.

Did GMRS for many years, then finally got others in the family (wife included) to get their amateur radio license.

GMRS is a good path to other parts of the radio hobby.

No way I'd ever spend good money on a CB again.

-oh, and...-
No 4 foot long antennas on top of my truck. A 6 inch 1/4 wave UHF whip and you are good to go. Professional sounding and looking equipment. Not consumer grade stuff.

 

[krokus]

In what types of settings are you wanting to use the radios?

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[kc0bus]

I know your question was to compare the two CB/GMRS but i rather use MURS radio have used it many time over the years and it has all ways out done CB/GMRS radio at least for me.......

Yes, I've considered MURS too. But the radio's don't seem quite as radio-like to me. They seem more like sensor triggering devices for when someone comes up your driveway and you want to know who's coming.
They also don't seem quite as readily available. You can only currently buy them from just one source. That's pretty restrictive.

 

[kc0bus]

Think RG-213 versus RG-58 and FireStix antenna versus generic found at a truck stop.

Good luck.

Wow, RG-213, looks awful large.... like for high-powered applications.. which isn't really legal on CB.

 

[kc0bus]

In what types of settings are you wanting to use the radios?

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Probably mostly small town America type setting (which is to say more or less rural and suburban along with a small town element thrown into the mix)....

 

[wtp]

i found this online

Dakota Alert MURS Wireless 2-Way Handheld Radio with Rechargeable Batteries - Walmart.com

 

[n0xvz]

GMRS requires a license...

I'll admit, I don't understand much about GMRS. If it requires a license, how are they sold a Walmart, etc? I don't recall seen anything in the store saying the require a license. So if I wasn't as (minimally) informed as I am, how would I know I needed a license? And how is the FCC to enforce it? Imagine thousands of these things are out there being used without licenses.

Reading some random reviews, seems to echo what I just said. I don't see MeMa and PawPaw doing paperwork for the grandkids "toy"....

 

[n5ims]

I'll admit, I don't understand much about GMRS. If it requires a license, how are they sold a Walmart, etc? I don't recall seen anything in the store saying the require a license. So if I wasn't as (minimally) informed as I am, how would I know I needed a license? And how is the FCC to enforce it? Imagine thousands of these things are out there being used without licenses.

Reading some random reviews, seems to echo what I just said. I don't see MeMa and PawPaw doing paperwork for the grandkids "toy"....

Stuffed in the GMRS radio box (along with the other stuff nobody reads) is the instructions on how to get a license. Often it's mentioned on the box as well (like most restrictions, in very small type). The FCC could enforce it since the user is required to ID, similar to on ham radio, so folks that don't ID could be located and fined (at least for not IDing and if they didn't have a license for that violation as well). What are the chances of this happening though? Well, if you do get a NAL from the FCC, I would definitely get several winning lottery tickets since the chances are similar.

One thing to keep in mind though. FCC violations generate fines and fines are income to the government. If there's enough of a budget shortfall, they just might start taking enforcement action to raise money. With a possible fine of $10,000 per violation (could be read as each day's operation without a license is a violation), it's not something to sneeze at, even if the chance of being caught is very small.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Wow, RG-213, looks awful large.... like for high-powered applications.. which isn't really legal on CB.

Rated for about 26 kW. About 1 dB of loss per 100 ft at 30 MHz and 2.7 dB of loss per 100 ft at 450 MHz. LMR400 on the other hand (which is the same size, just has a foil shield in addition to the braid) has about .7 dB of loss per 100 ft at 30 MHz and 2.7 dB of loss per 100 ft at 450 MHz.

In comparison, RG58 is rated for about 1.9 kW and has a loss of 2.6 dB per 100 ft @ 30 MHz and 13.7 dB per 100 ft at 450 MHz.

Everything is really rated for more than what CB and most amateur stations output…its just dealing with the losses of the cable where you can make up the losses with different selections.

 

[wtp]

from the fcc

Licensing

MURS is licensed by rule. This means an individual license is not required for an entity to operate a MURS transmitter if it is not a representative of a foreign government and if it uses the transmitter only in accordance with Section 95.1309. There is no age restriction regarding who may operate an MURS transmitter.

 

[VE1GAT]

Go with MURS if you plan to communicate outside and around hilly terrain.
MURS pros: is VHF and extension cables will have less loss of signal with those frequencies.
MURS negs: long antennas are needed for better range, poor performance through house walls
A cheap Baefeng UV-5R handheld can do MURS, just add a genuine NA771 antenna, that combo can be used HAM if needed

 

[KB7MIB]

Not all GMRS radios are cheap bubble-packs. There's a thread here that lists all the commercial grade UHF radios that are Part 95A certified for use in the GMRS. Most handhelds will output 4 watts, which is on par with legal CB radios. Mobiles will typically range from 20-50 watts, with 50 being the FCC limit.

Commercial grade radios will outperform the bubblepacks. They will have greater simplex range (direct radio to radio). Very few bubblepack models have repeater capability, virtually all commercial grade radios will have repeater capability. Commercial grade radios will also last longer, as they are built more durably.

And yea, there's some fine print on the back of the bubblepack packaging as well as in the paperwork inside the packaging, that states you need a license, but too many people ignore this. You may go years without issue, or a licensed user in your area may report you to the FCC. It comes down to the individuals conscience in regards to the matter.

As for the MURS, Dakota Alert isn't the only manufacturer. (And Dakota Alert isn't just for driveway alerting. Their handhelds are also useable for two-way voice.) The Big M also has a few MURS certified models. RMN is the prefix on those models, IIRC.

The cheap Chinese radios are not legal for use in either the MURS or the GMRS, by the way. Again, a lot of people ignore this fact, and it comes down to the individuals conscience.

I don't think there are any current mobile or base radio models certified for the MURS, which IMO is short sighted of the manufacturers. Radio Shack had a mobile radio years ago, 19-1210 I think was the model number. So, if you want to operate car-to-car, you could still connect a handheld radio to a mobile antenna and 12-volt power, but then would have to reconnect/disconnect any/everytime you got in or out of your vehicle and wanted the radio with you. (Mobiles wouldn't give you any transmitted power advantage, as all MURS radios are limited to 2 watts. The advantage would come from not having to mess with the DC power and antenna connections all the time.)

John
GMRS WPXJ-598
Peoria, AZ

 

[VE1GAT]

When it comes to individual's conscience, yes one can use this resource with out depleting it, injure, hurt or interfere with others. Like blasphemy, another victimless crime .

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Not all GMRS radios are cheap bubble-packs. There's a thread here that lists all the commercial grade UHF radios that are Part 95A certified for use in the GMRS. Most handhelds will output 4 watts, which is on par with legal CB radios. Mobiles will typically range from 20-50 watts, with 50 being the FCC limit.



Commercial grade radios will outperform the bubblepacks. They will have greater simplex range (direct radio to radio). Very few bubblepack models have repeater capability, virtually all commercial grade radios will have repeater capability. Commercial grade radios will also last longer, as they are built more durably.



And yea, there's some fine print on the back of the bubblepack packaging as well as in the paperwork inside the packaging, that states you need a license, but too many people ignore this. You may go years without issue, or a licensed user in your area may report you to the FCC. It comes down to the individuals conscience in regards to the matter.



As for the MURS, Dakota Alert isn't the only manufacturer. (And Dakota Alert isn't just for driveway alerting. Their handhelds are also useable for two-way voice.) The Big M also has a few MURS certified models. RMN is the prefix on those models, IIRC.



The cheap Chinese radios are not legal for use in either the MURS or the GMRS, by the way. Again, a lot of people ignore this fact, and it comes down to the individuals conscience.



I don't think there are any current mobile or base radio models certified for the MURS, which IMO is short sighted of the manufacturers. Radio Shack had a mobile radio years ago, 19-1210 I think was the model number. So, if you want to operate car-to-car, you could still connect a handheld radio to a mobile antenna and 12-volt power, but then would have to reconnect/disconnect any/everytime you got in or out of your vehicle and wanted the radio with you. (Mobiles wouldn't give you any transmitted power advantage, as all MURS radios are limited to 2 watts. The advantage would come from not having to mess with the DC power and antenna connections all the time.)



John

GMRS WPXJ-598

Peoria, AZ

Ritron (another manufacturer of MURS equipment) has a desktop intercom which is certified and can be adapted for mobile use (it is 12V nominal) but runs around $300 last I checked Tessco.


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[johnls7424]

CB is low band AM modulation. GMRS is UHF High band FM modulation. Better coverage overall in any of the UHF bands. CB is good for mobile to mobile talking ( I mean car to car). There also is a limitation on the amount of WATTS you can legally crank out of it. You also do NOT have repeater capabilities.

GMRS works better overall like I stated above. The range in most practical settings will perform better for you. You are also not limited to low watt power on GMRS. You do need a license from the FCC to legally operate on GMRS bands, however the license is under 100 dollars to apply for.

If you are in the mood for lower power 2 watt max FCC license free band look into MURS. Its on the VHF band and for same car to car this might be more ideal. You do have options available for you if you choose to accept any of them. ( Other then bubble pack FRS/GMRS)